Atomizer

Even if it's abrasive as shit, it's still very accessible and likable. Love Durango's and Steve's driving guitar, Roland plays the drums like a damn machine. The bass sounds beautiful. Also, Steve's delivery is spot on and the lyrics, even if they're simple in nature, when paired with the music, want me to punch a hole in the wall in sheer rebellion, anger, and hatred towards the world and the state we're headed. Oh, and it was recorded in 1985, some 35-40 years ago, and it still feels like it was recorded yesterday. Holy shit. A landmark in music. Fucking recommended the whole way. Also, Steve, if you're ever reading this, I love you and everything you do.

Wholesome songs about paedophilia, racial passing, abuse of power in the police force, arson and self-immolation, shame, fist fucking and domestic violence, alcoholism, the tale of a Vietnam vet who becomes a contract killer (or is it really about drug addiction), the rat race, and cattle slaughter in abattoirs. The aural equivalent of suffering blunt force trauma to the head from a sledgehammer, these guys are so nasty, hard and bleak, that they make everyone else’s music sound as light and fluffy as a Disney movie soundtrack.

And this will stay with you until you die

5.0 - Came to this with low expectations and they were immediately shattered. I've come to respect Steve Albini's exalted status as a producer. Now I'm in awe of him as a complete artist. The interplay of brutal drum machine, growly bass and clear vocals situated defiantly in the foreground - these elements make this album feel timeless. And the guitar sounds! Dry, gnarly, industrial. "Kerosene" is an obvious standout - so bleak! How do they conjure a screeching pterodactyl on "Passing Complexion"?? This album sounds nothing like what I know about 1985.

Lol, this is incredible! The production is so noisy and raw. Steve Albini's band, so that makes sense. Sometimes gives me some Ministry vibes with the combination of drum machine and distorted vocals.

Steve Albini: master of noise Post-punk meets noise rock meets industrial meets awesome.

TIL Steve Albini had a band, and it was absolutely incredible. So filthy and lo-fi and layered and nasty but just perfect really, I love the harshness of the guitars and the cleanness of the drum machines. YouTube music link: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCqGF7gRwC9ZFxWIv0uWUl_g But this should really be listened to on a dog-eared vinyl or a smashed cassette tape.

No thank you. Just noise. Completely unnecessary inclusion.

Feels like I had carnivorous earwigs inserted into each side of my brain through my ears

Probably one of the worst albums here

Was excited to listen to this one since I’m familiar with Albini as an Engineer/Producer. He has worked with a lot of my favourite bands, Ty Segall, METZ, Cloud Nothings so I wasn’t surprised to be impressed with this album. It’s crunchy, gritty and loud. Sounded like a band that would have been pretty cool to see live, big fan of this one. Definitely going to explore their other work. 4 stars!

I'm too old to waste time listening to this fucking guy yell at me for an hour. Beats are interesting I guess.

I don’t even know where to start. This sounds like awful slam poetry paired with screeching guitars and moans and very fast drum beats to try and hide the hideous composition. This is not me tea. Nor is it my bag.

I am not a huge fan of electro based music. But I can appreciate good sounds, elegant beats and surprising musical twists and turns. This album works as background as well as for intense listening. A discovery.

Just a solid, noisy, angry punk record. Shades of everything from Judas Priest to Ministry. Think it loses a little steam near the end, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the whole thing. Favorite tracks: "Bad Houses", "Stinking Drunk", "Fists of Love"

Meh

A big noise from big boys. I have this on vinyl and still play it often. I believe Nirvana ripped BB off with a lame, sanitized version. This is the real deal.

Steve Albini died today and the day I was served this album :(

Great example of how to combine abrasive elements with catchy and accessible rock music. For the heavy amount of noise used it still sounds great.

Great I really enjoyed the punk sound!

Loved it. Never heard anything quite like it

Loud noisy fun. Always worth a revisit.

Still love this album. Bleak, angry, raging, powerful stuff. I don't think they ever bettered this, although Songs About F*cking comes very close.

I’ve never heard a single Big Black song until today. I am absolutely blown away! I think everyone will agree, it’s obvious why they didn’t have more mainstream success, but I’m not sure why I don’t hear their name come up more often when influences are being rattled off. I hear a heavy Big Black influence in ChatPile which I’m really excited about. This album is so sonically unique. The driving, incessant rhythm makes me want to fight or fuck or both. The musicianship is second to none; as tight as any top 40 studio session band I’ve ever heard. Ironically the despair I feel in the terse, pointed lyrics give me a sense of hope because it feels like it can’t get any lower. Up and out of the pit is the only way to get free from the grinding nausea of the every-day mid-America small-town nightmare. I loved every minute of this album and I can’t wait to go down the Big Black rabbit hole. Atomizer is by far my favorite, never-heard-before album in this journey so far and it just might be my top album of 2025, and it’s 40 years old!

After Albini's recent passing, I made sure to throw his classic Big Black albums onto my 'to-listen-to' list - so I'm glad to see this album here. More than anything, I love all the sounds and noises on this album. They all sound so cool - a coolness only amplified by their sheer abrasiveness and character. You're not just getting walls of noise and distortion here, you're also getting these shimmering harmonics that cut through the mixes which is what makes this album stand out - that subtle layer of melody and even beauty at times. The electrifying gnawing of the industrial groove on 'Passing Complexion' is so mind-blowingly ahead of its time - how does a guitar sound like that? 'Kerosene' sounds like a deconstructed club banger that would be released decades later, the way the defined melodies manage to squeeze through the layers of crashing and clanging is incredible. The use of drum machines all over this album hammers home that industrial sound - it's something beyond punk. The bass is also so garbled, muddy, and incoherent, yet it works wonders in carving out its space in these cluttered mixes, especially on a track like 'Cables'. While vocally not too special, Albini's lyrics (and corresponding liner notes) are tortured - digging into the depths of human suffering to formulate these repetitive, yet impactful hooks. One need look no further than the troubled opener 'Jordan, Minnesota' to know exactly what they're getting into. While not every track resonated with me, I was in awe no matter what direction this album went in. It defies the ideas of punk and even noise-rock. What a blast and unlike anything I've ever heard - it really does feel like an atomic bomb going off in your ears the entire time.

If the world was made of musicians like Big Black, I would light up the atomizer without thinking twice.

Music for Columbine terrorists. Dreadful. Steve Albini can eat it - I uncelebrate the guy's entire catalogue. 0/10 0 stars

My enjoyment rating for this would probably be 4 stars, but I have to give it an extra star just for how experimental it is while still being great, unlike albums like Suicide or Junkyard.

Yes. This kept me engaged and excited. Really liked it.

4.5 stars

Back in late '88 I bought Racer X by Big Black at Tower Records. I was hoping it was an album by Racer X the heavy metal band. Imagine my disappointment. Fast forward 37 years and I'm listening to Big Black again. Just awesome. If I had a time machine, I'd go back and have someone kick me in the ass and make me listen to this more. Albini was the man.

5/5. From the get go, I did not want to like this but it's hard to deny the excellent instrumentation throughout this one. It's heavy, and can be loud just to be loud, but considering the lyrical content, it's no where near as abrasive as it should be. The bass is a constant pressure to keep your attention present, just banging down on that like it's a drum. It's hard to find any really bad song on here. The vocals are loud and angry but even still, it doesn't feel weird, like I can tell they don't actually feel what they are singing. It's kind of funny how crazy some of these lyrics are that it's hard to take seriously, which is probably the point. Best Song: Fists of Love, Kerosene, Jordan - Minnesota

This one is a surprising I think blind spot for me having never listened to the band previously. And that’s to my detriment because this album rules.

Littéralement mind blown, le mélange de son est ahurissant, c'est tellement en avance sur son temps. L'une des découvertes les plus surprenantes des 1001.

Damn... dehä e hårt

punk album

Really intense album. I've known it for a while, mainly for the excellent "Kerosene", but hadn't really got into the full album til now. It starts off with arguably it's most challenging song, "Jordan, Minnesota" and doesn't really let up from there. Not for everyone I think, but there's some really inventive sounds and production all over this. I can see a big influence on grunge and industrial in the 90s. Not one I'd listen to a lot, but glad to have dived into it.

Before I even found out this was the band of Steve Albini, I really loved this album. Very fun noise rock with heavy elements of industrial and hardcore punk music, with production that’s raw and chaotic yet quite clear.

Well, this record is certainly not for everyone. I love the sound of this record. Steve Albini's ability to put a driving rock sound on tape became legendary, and this record is probably the first early work showing what he could do. I spent most of the 90s playing in a (terrible) industrial band, and we were constantly chasing that sound, especially that big driving bass sound. The sound of this record is massively influential (although admittedly, not to everyone's taste). Albini's lyrics, however, are deliberately unpleasant and provocative. He later apologized for his proto-edgelord stance, but it doesn't really make this much easier to listen to. I confess I have to tune out the words and just listen to the sound. I own this record and it is influential on my tastes, but truth be told I don't play it particularly often. It acts more like a proof of concept for a sound (drum machines and guitars, played in a noisy and straightforward way) that I have copied many times, but don't feel the need to go back to this ur-text often.

⬅️ LET’S GO.

Hitting right in the sweet spot between punk and industrial.

Unexpected funk - a treat for the ears

Its great in context. Industrial punk heavily influenced by sonic youth and definitive influence for nine inch nails. Solid album but a bit overshadowed by the progression of the genere

I’m all in favour of artists using their art to broach difficult and dark subjects, but the opening song about child abuse didn’t feel like they had anything interesting to say on the matter; it felt like an edge lord using the subject to be provocative merely for the sake of it. The rest of the lyrics on the album did nothing to dissuade me of that notion. I found it interesting that they used notched guitar picks though. Well, “interesting” might be too strong a word.

I would not listen again but I would not not listen again

This was such a conflicting album for me. On the one hand I love, love, love the sound. Love the bass line being all over the place and super prominent, the songs being driven by the drums (drummer did a great job), and the guitar was great. Normally I don’t like a super bright, tinny sounding guitar but this worked within the context of the songs and the overall sound really, really well. However, I hated the lyrics. They ranged from super wonky to super gross and stupid. Did not like most of the songs lyrics and that’s a big hit to their star rating for me because of it. “Kerosene” is an absolute banger though.

This piece of shit has no business being on this list.

Horrible, intentionally abrasive and not good. Didnt like it

This is actually horrible and horrendous I hate this it sounds like metal being scraped against the floor slowly and then added some screaming voices it’s crazy I am sorry I have nothing good to say about this …

Never heard of this band or any of these songs...probably never will again. Fists of Love had a cool groove to it ... minus the lyrics.

I think the Church Lady (SNL) sums it up nicely: "Well, wasn't that special." Notes: I so wanted to not hate at least 1 song. Fail. "Passing Complexion" - rusty, out of tune string instruments fight each other to the death. 1/5

Big Black - Atomizer, powerful, driving, industrial. Great album. Kerosene, full of power. A full 5 stars

Great punk with a driving guitar. Music that will get you up in the morning.

The first time I heard Big Black I thought they were one of the worst bands on the planet. I thought Steve Albini sounded like an edgy teenager and they were purposely trying to sound bad to make a point. A few years later after getting into recent noise rock bands with much tighter production I decided to go back and reevaluate. I am so glad I did. This is one of the most punishing albums ever recorded, the guitars cut like razors and the lyrical content is among (if not) the bleakest things ever put to paper. The electronic drums are pummeling and set the foundation for the metallic clang of the rest of the instruments. Steve sings and screams like a manic, fully embodying the characters he portrays, often representing the worst of humanity (some based on true stories ie. Jordan, Minnesota). It is edgy, but it is cutting and scathing and while brave might be the right word, you would be hard pressed to find many people willing to sing from the perspective of a paedophile. Countless shock rock bands came after this trying to one up each other with edgy and often "offensive" graphic content, not a single one has ever come close to the bleakness of this record. It is a record that backs up my belief that noise rock is heavier than metal, the unchained chaos after the tense build of kerosene goes far harder than any open string cleanly produced chugging breakdown (case in point, the lamb of god cover of kerosene) Not to mention the guitar tones on both kerosene and passing complexion are insane, truly warped and inimitable, crazy to believe this was recorded in 1985. When I saw this come up I thought I was going to give it a 4, I've heard it a hundred times and I thought that after all these years its novelty would have worn off. Nope, it reminded me how much I love heavy music and I was truly glad to have revisited it. Steve Albini's best work as a musician, crazy to think he would then go on to produce multiple albums I consider better than this. Kerosene might be a top ten song for me. Favourites - Jordan, Minnesota, Passing Complexion, Big Money, Kerosene, Bad Houses, Stinking Drunk

Confession time, I've never listened to any of Steve Albini's own bands before despite loving so many bands that he worked with and recorded but now I know I've made a big mistake. This album is excellent and I will be listening to more. It's crunchy and noisy and angry but it's not a difficult listen and I enjoyed it so much more than I expected to.

You can 100% picture little Kurt listening to this and thinking “I can do that” Ugly, noisy, rude, mean… and totally awesome.

Don't know what I was expecting going into this listen, but wasn't expecting an amazing proto-industrial post-hardcore record. The second the first song came on with its abrasive, lo-fi, but also clean production, I knew I was gonna like this thing. Checking the reviews, it's shocking to me that this is getting 2.7 average because with how noisy this record is, I'd expect harsher reviews. The sound of this album is immediately influential from the first notes, basically predicting stuff like Godflesh's Streetcleaner, and even dance punk like Death From Above 1979 or synthpop/EDM bands like Crystal Castles. Overall one of the best discoveries I've come across on this record that I hadn't heard before. Wasn't expecting it, but easy 5.

A strange musical experience. not just for me, but even for my speaker! I think it was the first time it ever produced some of those frequencies 😁

9/10 Favourite: Passing Complexion Least Favourite: Bad Houses

accessible

didn't get to this yesterday so listening now. Hm this sounds pretty cool. 1985?! Punk Rock group fuck yeah. This sounds a bit industrial too. I'm diggin!

Pigfuck masterpiece. Abrasion abound. Albini's stylish sloppiness and morbid lyricism are inimitable, and the songs that come out on the other end are undeniably blood-pumping. I heard 'Songs About Fucking' far before this, and while I adore that album, I don't know if it has the same level of variety and experimentation. Regardless, this experience only further solidifies my adoration of Albini and his legendary output, which was already incredibly solid. Favorite Tracks: Jordan, Minnesota ~ Passing Complexion ~ Kerosene ~ Fists of Love ~ Bazooka Joe ~ Strange Things ~ Cables (live)

Big Black were yet another underground rock band working in the eighties to hazard a guess as to what the guitar music of the future would sound like. their answer was an uncompromisingly abrasive sound with a ton of overdrive and stiff, mechanical drums provided by an E-mu Drumulator. every song here has a slightly different drum pocket and more than a few incredible riffs, which helps to create a good sense of variety from one track to the next. I'm glad this was under 40 minutes; any more and I'd have gotten a splitting headache. Atomizer lasts just long enough to make it possible to enjoy every second, but not too long! light 9/10.

sublime shit. this album is ugly, its nasty, but its also quite elegant and even sophisticated. this people know what theyre doing is what im trying to say. if you dont like it, come back when you are properly fucked up and disillusioned

Classic, old school punk.

A brutally aggressive despairing grind, and that's just the bass tone. Buzzsaw guitars slash out churning riffs, dissonant noise, and some surprisingly melodic leads over sledgehammer drum machine parts. It's like a hardcore band replaced their instruments with a construction site and it rules.

Crystalline rage.

I get it... filthy, nasty, noisy, amazing. Might be one of the first albums that clearly influenced some of my favorites to come after

Incredible album from the late great Steve Albini. Always a blast listening to this.

This is SOOO good. This one definitely influenced some of my favorites that came yeeears after this. I love Steve Albini's producer work too. It still sounds modern even today. Low 5 compared to some of my 5 star albums

Bulldozing mix of punk, noise, and industrial music. Brilliantly brutal double guitar attack with unique tones, heavy clanking bass, while Roland slams programmed drum beats in your face and Albini tells uncomfortable tales over it all. It was fresh in 1986 and still sounds so. Everything about the song Kerosene is brilliant. Wonderful album that reliably kicks you in the nuts and never gets stale. Raw power.

A truly punk rock noisy mesh with incredibly distinctive guitar and drums. Just the type of music that makes you want to set everything on fire.

This is a debatable 5 for me It’s loud, punk, noise but musical and interesting, a little repetitive but not in a bad way

LIVE HERE MY WHOLE LIFE

Early grunge listen loud.

Set me on fire! Kerosene! Not much more to say.

muito bom

Proto-noise rock. Such an influential sound they pioneered. And I love the drum machine giving it an early industrial feel.

As a girl who was raised by the Providence punk scene, which was a weird amalgamation of Boston Hardcore and RISD, I’m a sucker for noise punk. While I gave Songs About Fucking a spin as a teen, I never really did a deep dive into Albini’s other work, not even with Big Black. And that’s a real shame, because Atomizer is a fucking phenomenal record. It’s full of rage, spite, and disgust, really taking the vileness of masculinity and pointing the gun inward thanks to a healthy dose of deadpan delivery and violent noise, accomplished both sonically and vocally, somehow. This is a classic because of the guitar work, funky bass lines, and stunning vocal howls, but then I consider the unique addition of a drum machine, and my mind is blown to pieces, even today. It’s not a “fun” listen and I’m not going to be spinning this every day– mainly because that would probably wreck my mental health as a trans woman – but its value is clear as day, and I can point to a hundred bands I used to adore who wouldn’t have existed without Atomizer. But that’s showing my bias for this type of noise punk, so maybe I’m in the minority here.

Sept. 19, 2024 More punk lezzgo. Yep I like this a lot; less punk imo and more industrial which is also what the wiki suggests. This is exactly what I've been into lately-loud, intense, aggressive, angry. Scratches that itch for me. Apparently some of the lyrics are ehh where he's tried to over justify what he says, but I can barely understand what he's singing, so I'm rating for the vibe in the end. V enjoyable, and my first 5/5

These guitars are beyond jangly, they are fried, and for some reason, this sound has a relaxing, ASMR-like quality. The repetitive post-punk lyrics enhance this effect, allowing you to get lost in the sound instead of trying to follow the textual progression. The vibes are both emo and party, which is great.

This surprised the fuck out of me. Stellar.

Holy shit this fucking rips. Highlights: being atomized

One of the many Steve Albini contributions to this list. I will surely miss the guy. The album is one big explosion of sound and energy.

Esse álbum que explica como uma música pode ser fenomenal sem ser necessariamente algo que vá ouvir sempre (ou mesmo novamente). Ele consegue sintetizar o sentimento profundo de raiva e descontentamento desses meninos na forma de músicas abrasivas e vocais agressivos, além de inovar com o uso de uma drum machine no lugar da bateria, que traz uma pegada meio post-punk, meio industrial. É uma experiência sonora poder ouvir algo desse tipo, mesmo que seja apenas uma vez.

I mean, FUCK YEAH!!!

This is an album that I would never choose to listen to but I have to admit that, whenever my husband plays it, I get swept up by their energy. The riffs that start Kerosene and Bazooka Joe are exquisite in particular.

I’ve never heard of these guys and fully expected to be annoyed. Instead I was completely charmed. There’s still fun and hope seeping through the anger and desperation in the dark world they live in and scream about. A cathartic listen for me today that completely won me over.

wat een uppercut van een plaat... recht in je gezicht, geen franjes, geen opsmuk... ook de teksten zijn een dreun in je gezicht...kortom : een dijk van een plaat niet onbelangrijk trouwens in de ontwikkeling van industrial

I love big black

Interesting

This noise seems important. I don't think I ever want to listen to it again, but I think I'm glad I did.

I love you Steve, please put your stuff back on Spotify, please Steve, I need to blast Kerosene from my car without having to mad skip SoundCloud or YouTube every 5 seconds

I love this album SO MUCH

cool

A blunt approach on disturbing topics. A carefree atmosphere and a playful aesthetic (the comic cover art, for example). Guitars that feel like knives to one's ears. And a harsh noise/industrial sounds. In terms of sound, one might not consider it punk. But for me, it's ballsy, artsy, yet carefree, which makes it among the most punk album I've ever encountered.

даааааа! Если бы я услышала эту группу в 1986 году.... сто процентов.

Yeah! good find

Somehow despite having heard a million records Steve Albini produced, I never listened to Big Black. This is fucking GREAT

Best album and band this thing had given that I've never heard of, hands down.